Variables affecting UO/sub 2/ oxidation during storage
Storage of spent fuel is being implemented in the US to allow continued operation of Light Water Reactors (LWR). Licensed storage in air or safety analyses for possible air contamination of inerted storage require a data base on oxidation behavior of spent UO/sub 2/ fuel at a cladding breach site. For air storage, the fuel temperature must be sufficiently low to avoid the formation of respirable U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ fuel particulates. Results from studies on the oxidation behavior of spent fuel being performed in the US and foreign countries are being used to develop dry storage design criteria. Determining acceptable thermal conditions for air storage is a major consideration in the studies. The influence of temperature, time, burnup, fuel microstructure, radiation, and moisture on fuel oxidation is being investigated. The studies on LWR spent fuel show that burnup increases the time at temperature to form U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ respirable particulates. The results indicate that the effect of microstructure (although not well understood) is likely important. 13 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5712915
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-13665; CONF-860418-7; ON: DE86011124
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AIR
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DATA
DRY STORAGE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUEL PELLETS
FUELS
GASES
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
SPENT FUELS
STORAGE
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TIME DEPENDENCE
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES